16 minute read
Trail of Tears: Discover
Be Inspired 48 / Native America
Trail of tears
The Indian Removal Act saw many Native People ‘moved on’ from their homelands. The ‘Trail of Tears’ now offers visitors an understanding of this period, explains Lynn Houghton
In a leafy wooded part of Tuscumbia in northeast Alabama, a mile-long unmortared stone wall stands in honour of a Yuchi local woman named Te-Lah-Nay. It lies just off the Natchez Trace Parkway and is known as the
Florence Wichahpi Memorial Wall.
Assembly began in about 1983 with her great, great, grandson Tom Hendrix building it by hand.
Created in memory of his ancestor’s heroic journey, Te-Lah-Nay’s story begins when her and her people are forcibly removed to the western frontier by the U.S. Federal Government. This came to be known by native people as The Trail of Tears.
After arriving, Te-Lah-Nay realised the rivers in Oklahoma didn’t sing and she yearned to return to her home – to the Tennessee River which in myth, folklore and legend is known as the ‘Singing River’. Her arduous journey back took five years.
An Unjust Act
This is just one tale among many thousands as 60,000 people from the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Cherokee and Creek tribes of the Southeast were forced to leave.
It was part of legislation known as the Indian Removal Act enacted by President Andrew Jackson in the 1830s. Native people were moved on with little notice, taking few possessions with them.
The military operation was reported to be ill-advised, ill-planned and badly managed. Many thousands perished on route particularly those on the overland trails who walked hundreds of miles.
The Trail of Tears is actually many different routes all through the Southeast, with the network being recognised by the Federal Government as a National Historic Trail in 1987.
The U.S. National Park Service is working on putting up more signposts to show designated Trail of Tears landmarks. There is also an important new National Park starting to be developed at Tuscumbia Landing on the Tennessee River, which operated as a staging post for the removal. It was connected to Sheffield via a railway line that is now defunct.
About every two miles along the Natchez Trace Parkway there are references to historical and natural landmarks, including the place where the Choctaw seceded their land. This was known as the Treaty of Doak’s Landing (milepost 128.4).
Jane Marie Allen Farmer, Park Ranger, Natchez Trace Parkway NPS Headquarters, Tupelo, Mississippi says: “The Chickasaw camped at Pontotoc, near the Old Trace (west of milepost 255). The tribe was moved to Memphis, and on July 4, 1838, they headed across the Mississippi River, westward to Oklahoma. Many travelled south along the water route, to the Arkansas River. Although many
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Maggi Smit, Managing Director, America As You Like It
people brought their family dogs, the river boat captains would not allow pets on the steamers. The dogs swam, trying to follow their people.
“The Indian Removal Act of 1830 extinguished Indian land titles, forcing tribes to move to the west. If they chose to stay, they were assimilated into the new culture and were required to give up their homes and traditions. Many who stayed were ostracized.”
Which Tribes were affected?
The Cherokee of North Carolina, the eastern part of Tennessee and northern part of Georgia in the Hiwassee River Valley once had significant amounts of land throughout these regions. With incoming white settlers absconding much of the territory, their holdings were reduced to a tiny fraction.
Cherokee tribal leaders often held their council meetings at Ela-wodi-yi – translated means red earth place – and is now Red Clay State Park. A reproduction of one of the meeting buildings has been built here and an eternal flame burns in honour of the Cherokee people. At the Cherokee Memorial Park, about one hour drive north and located on the Tennessee River, is a granite monument with the name of every single person evicted.
Fifty miles west of Chattanooga in Bridgeport, Alabama, in a secret place in the hillside is the Russell Cave National Park. The enormous cave, with a river running through one end of it, has had people visiting and living here for at least 10,000 years. Extensive archaeological excavation here uncovered a huge number of artefacts from the Paleo, Mississippian and Woodland period. In the 18th century, the cave and surrounding land were gifted to Colonel Thomas Russell, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. It was likely given to him by his father-in-law, a Cherokee, to keep it in the family and in exchange for living a secluded life here and avoiding the mass removal.
Few know that Elvis Presley was part Choctaw. He was born in Tupelo in the north of Mississippi on land formerly belonging to the Choctaw nation.
Rich, alluvial soil from the river meant in its recent history the area was covered in a tangle of forest made up of cottonwood, loblolly pine, black willow, tupelo trees as well as shrubs such as red maple and sweet acacia. Even before the native American evacuation, massive tracts of land were already being deforested to turn into cotton plantations.
To see an authentic representation of the Chickasaw and Natchez way of life, visit the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.
On the grounds is a reconstruction of a Mississippian period burial mound. All along the Natchez Parkway are burial mounds and other important remains, all to be discovered as the Trace carves its way through what had once been a mysterious land belonging to the indigenous tribes.
Maggi Smit, Managing Director of America As You Like It, commented: “The Deep South sells extremely well for us and particularly our stalwart itineraries such as The Rhythms of the South, Journey to Freedom, Authentic Alabama and the Civil Rights Trail. Most people do a variation of our holidays. The Trail of Tears is of particular interest as it takes in so many different southern states, crosses the Old Trace in several places and includes markers along the Natchez Trace Parkway highlighting historical and natural landmarks associated with the route.” Visit: mdah.ms.gov/explore-mississippi/ grand-village-natchez-indians
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Where to book it
AMERICA AS YOU LIKE IT – 020 8742 8299
The operator has 10 nights on the Natchez Trace Parkway, priced from £2,918pp and including direct flights from London Heathrow to Nashville and return flights from New Orleans on BA, 10 nights’ stay in three-star hotels and a Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorbike hire for eight days. americaasyoulikeit.com • Be Inspired Native America / 49
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Also commemorating the Native American removal to the frontier is the 200 mile Trail of Tears Commemoration and Motorcycle Ride which takes place every third weekend in September. Initiated by two friends, Jerry Davis from Scottsboro, Alabama and Bill Cason from Whitwell, Tennessee in 1994, it is officially recognised and signposted and follows the Drane Water Route (a section of which is now Hwy 72) from Ross’ Landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee across the north of Alabama and ending in Waterloo.
Be Inspired 50 / Top experiences
Oklahoma City The Modern Frontier
With its brand-new First Americans Museum, host of cultural attractions and ingrained ‘cowboy culture’, ‘OKC’ has a unique appeal for visitors
From its vast open skies to its topclass cultural venues Oklahoma City is a state capital that is overflowing with potential and energy.
Every destination has a story to tell and Oklahoma City’s began with the several tribal nations who inhabited the area long before it was officially designated a ‘city’.
This First Nations heritage not only lives on in Oklahoma City (or OKC) today but is one that the city ’celebrates and honours’.
Visitors can learn about the collective histories of the 39 distinctive First American Nations residing in Oklahoma at the brand-new First Americans Museum.
Through art, interactive media, and film, the museum’s main hall, OKLA HOMMA, engages visitors of all ages through sight, sound and touch as they are immersed in the tribal, historic and personal stories of generations of First Americans.
Culture and heritage
Oklahoma City embodies the ‘Modern Frontier’, its Western culture and heritage woven across everything from the city’s much-acclaimed public art programme to its first-class collection of museums - such as the impressive Oklahoma City Museum of Art, with highlights from North America, Europe, and Asia but with particular strengths in American art and post-war abstraction – and several cultural venues.
Its cowboy culture lives on in America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
The museum’s exhibition wing houses a turn-of-the-century town and interactive history galleries that focus on the American cowboy, rodeo and Native American culture.
There are also less-traditional, quirky hidden gems, such as the American Banjo Museum, a world-class facility dedicated to preserving and promoting the music and heritage of ‘America’s instrument.’
A must-stop for anyone interested in military history is the 45th Infantry Division Museum with its tanks, planes, helicopters, trucks and other army vehicles. Exhibits start with WWI and continue through to the modern day and tell the story of a division that is most famous for liberating Dachau and taking over Hitler’s bunker.
Neighbourhoods
Getting around is easy: the city’s modern streetcars connect six miles of the urban core, making it easy for locals and visitors alike to access a wide range of dining, retail and entertainment options.
Be Inspired Top experiences / 51
The streetcars are an ideal way to experience its many distinct neighborhoods and districts, with their unique personalities, local restaurants and craft breweries, such as Bricktown, an entertainment district with a canal area that features a water taxi.
This former warehouse district is filled with restaurants, nightlife and family-friendly entertainment options, with several hotels within easy walking distance of many fun activities.
Or take a cruise on the Oklahoma River for more ‘hidden treasures’ such as access to Historic Stockyards City, the bustling Meridian Corridor and the lush Regatta Park/Boathouse District.
Outside of the city visitors can drive down the longest stretch of Route 66.
Find itineraries and trip planning resources at VisitOKC.com
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Be Inspired 54 / 48 hours in...
Los Angeles City of Angels
It may have been out of bounds for a while, but California’s Tinseltown is back with a larger than ever line-up of heavenly pleasures, says Lauren Jarvis
Day 1: Culture, sport and movie magic
Morning: Los Angeles has more museums, galleries and performing arts venues than any other U.S. city, so dive into the California African American Museum, LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), or Grammy Museum to soak up some Americana culture. Strike a pose at the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, with six floors dedicated to the art and science of films. Afternoon: Immerse yourself in more movie magic at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank, where you’ll find a brand-new welcome centre, Storytelling Showcase and grand finale featuring the DC Universe, along with the chance to visit the famous Friends TV show set and have lunch in Central Perk. Or head to Universal Studios Hollywood to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and jump on Jurassic World – The Ride, before stopping off at Griffith Park for a selfie with the infamous Hollywood sign. Evening: With seven major sports venues, LA offers the opportunity to watch world-class baseball, basketball and American football at iconic venues.
Go for a pre- or post- game supper in one of the market hall eateries at the Citizen Public Market in Downtown Culver City, or try seasonal Japanese sensations at the chic Imari in Brentwood.
Book it with... USAirtours Stay three nights at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood in LA, two nights at the Kimpton Hotel Canary in Santa Barbara and two nights at Inn At The Pier in Pismo Beach from £2,599pp. The deal includes return flights and Hertz car hire. For travel on May 15, 2022. usairtours.co.uk
head to universaL studios for movie magic
morning workouts are a common sight in La
west hoLLywood has instagrammabLe eateries
MATTHEW LEJU n E
take in the waves from santa monica pier
Day 2: Go green out west
Morning: West Hollywood – or ‘WeHo’ – is California’s most walkable city. Its car-free commercial district, ROW DTLA, combines creative workspaces with hip boutiques and restaurants on the repurposed historic complex of Alameda Square. Grab a coffee with the Angelenos and make like a local with a righteous fitness or wellness session. If upmarket stores are your bag, visit the Design District for luxury brands and art galleries. Afternoon: What could be more ‘LA than sipping an al fresco margarita or fresh juice while dining on zingy traditional Mexican cuisine – plant based, of course? Gracias Madre on Melrose Avenue is one of West Hollywood’s new breed of conscious and cool eateries, where dining in style won’t (literally) cost the Earth. Evening: Join the locals watching the sunset over the ocean at Santa Monica Pier and ride the world’s only solar-powered ferris wheel at Pacific Park. Back in West Hollywood, try the EP Restaurant for American dishes that showcase the freshest of Californian produce cooked with European flair, before continuing up to the LP Rooftop for late-night drinks with some of the best views of the Hollywood Hills, and sliding into bed at the sustainability-focused 1 Hotel West Hollywood on Sunset Strip. •
